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We Respond to Questions About the Layout of the House

May 23, 2007 4:05 pmMay 23, 2007 4:05 pm

Dear Readers:

This response should help clarify why the house appears so large, why we need a garage level, and why the main living area is on the second floor.

Both local and state regulations require residents living in a coastal flood area — we qualify since we are less than three blocks from the beach — to build their homes at least 11 feet above ground level.

Consequently, nearly every new house on Anna Maria Island is being built with the garage and storage areas on the ground floor, and the kitchen, living rooms and bedrooms on the second or third floors.

Really, we’d love to have a shorter house, with the main living area on ground level, but logistically it’s just not possible on this island. Like everyone else here, we play cards with the hand we’ve been dealt.

And a note on the elevator: Though it may seem extravagant to some, we aren’t getting any younger. And it adds to the home’s resale value.

I agree with Alison and Paul about the elevator. It means they will be able to stay in their home longer and be independent longer (assuming a hurricane storm surge doesn’t take the house). It’s smart to add it into the design now.

I’ve been reading your blog for months now, and I wanted to say that I really enjoy it. You’ve been getting a lot of flack for different reasons, but I really like the step-by-step approach you’re taking (even though it’s retrospective for now) and I also love the sense of humor you have about the situation. I doubt anyone could anticipate the ins and outs of the home-building process, and I enjoy how you’ve managed to portray confusion and, at times, dismay in a light-hearted, self-effacing manner. It’s a lot of fun to read.

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They've found an idyllic tiny town in Florida, they've bought a piece of land and now Paul B. Brown and Alison Davis are setting out to build their dream house. How hard can it be, they wonder, even though they live 1,500 miles away, they've never built a home before and they don't know anything about architects, builders, local zoning laws or financing? On this blog for Great Homes, they recount their successes and failures and will chronicle their adventures to come.